Drier and overlapper



R. J. THOMPSON DRIER'AND OVERLAPPER June 4, 1940.

2 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed May 31. 1938 R. J. THOMPSON DRIER AND OVERLAPPER June 4, 1940.

Filed May 31, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 4, 1940 UNITED STATES DRIER AND OVERLAPPER Robert J. Thompson, Harrisburg, Pa. Application May 31, 1938, Serial No. 210,945

12 Claims.

This invention is an apparatus for drying sheets of paper or thelike.

One of the objects of the, invention is topro- ,vide a rotatable drier drum having means for independently supporting the sheets during transition through a drying space. A further objectis to provide means for successively directing the individual sheets into and removing them from therotatable drier drum without interruption to the rotative movement thereof, and in amanner to avoid development of static electricity. A further object is to provide a drier drum of the type mentioned provided with a plurality of radially disposed belts so constructed and arranged as to draw the sheets into sector-like chambers within the drying space, and then to cause each sheet to move from one side of its chamber to the other side thereof during the rotative travel of the drum D. e

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating a drying apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention, parts being shown broken away. Figure 2 is a detail View illustrating the driving mechanism. To avoid possible confusion in the illustration, this driving mechanism has been omitted from Figure 1. l

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view on line 3-3, Figure 1. e

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view of the drier drum looking downwardly.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevation illus- Figure 6 is a top plan view of Figure 4. l Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings,

D designates a drier drum comprising two laterally spaced side plates ill, I l, secured to a shaft I2 in such manner as to rotate therewith.- Shaft l2 is'rotatively mounted in suitably supported bearings l3, and is rotated by any desired type of power drive, a pulley M to receive a driving belt M being shown for purposes of illustration. Extending transversely between the side plates I0 and H, at positions adjacent to the drive shaft I2 is a series of rotatably mounted belt-rollers l5. Said rollers are arranged in a circle concentric with said shaft l2. A second circular series of rotatable belt-rollers I6 is mounted between the side plates I0 and H near the peripheries any preferred type ofggearinga friction type, of

trating a modification of the take-off mechanism.

gearing having beenselected for illustrative purposes.

The same number of belt-rollers l5 and I6 is employed and said rollers are so disposed asto provide a plurality of pairsof rotatable belt supports, each pair consisting of a rotatable member l5 and a rotatable member It. By meansof this arrangement each pair of belt rollers provides support means for a radially disposed endless belt which may be of any desired construction, said belts providing sheet-receiving pockets P between them. However, to reduce the possibility of creating static electricity by friction, it is preferred to construct each belt of a plurality of axially spaced endless cords l8 passed around each pair of rollers in such manner that rotative movement of said rollers 15 and IS in the same.

are individually and successively deposited (by" a suitable source, not shown. On the same shaft as wheel a and rotating therewith is asecond pulley or sprocket wheel c, connected by a belt or chain 01 with and driving a larger pulley or sprocket wheel 6 located onthe opposite side of the drum D. Located adjacent to the delivery end of the feed belt I9 is a vertically disposed feed actuatordevice in the form of a movable endless belt 2i carried by rotatable supports 22, mounted in the frame of the apparatus in a manner not shown. Said belt 2l is so positioned that it will be successively engaged by the rollers ll as the drum rotates, so thatrotative movements, are imparted to members It during such engagement. On the opposite side of the drum D is an endless take-off belt 23, mounted on suitable rollers 24', and actuated by the pulley or sprocket wheel e. Adjacent to the receiving end of belt 23 is a takeoff actuator consisting of l a movable endless belt 'Mcarried by supports 25, which are mounted on i the frame of the apparatus in identically the same manner as described for belt 2!. Cooperating with belt 23 is a guide device or overlapper 26 of any desired. form for directing the dried sheets downwardly to the top of said belt, as

they leave the drum D.

l i In practice, the interior of-the drum is heated by any means well known. in the art and, as shown, is rotated in an anti-clockwise direction by belt M although the parts may be constructed to travel in the opposite direction without departing from the spirit of the invention. At the same time movement toward the drum D is imparted to the feeder belt i9 and movement away invention, a ratio of 3 to 1 being shown for purposes of illustration.

In operation, the sheets S are successively deposited on the top of belt Ill and carried thereby to the drum D, the feed of sheets being .so regulated'as to allow belt ill to advancelthe sheets to the successively presentedopenings between the belts 18., As a belt 18 approaches the delivery end' of belt Hi, the latter projects the forward end of the sheets Sonto the uppermost stretch of said belt l8.. Just previous to-this movement travel of the'belt l8 toward the center of the drum 'D'has been initiated by engagement of roller H with the feed actuator 2i, so that as the projected sheet engages the belt I18, the latter while moving upwardly, carries the sheet which rests'upon the upperstretch thereof, toward the center of the drum. By the time" the roller H has passed beyond the feed-actuator 2i the entire sheet will have been deposited upon the belt l8, and said sheet will continue to rest upon said belt until the latter passes the dead center, whereupon the force of gravity will cause the sheet to fall over and rest against the under side of the preceding belt l8, which is reversing its position as it is carried around with the drum.

As each belt I 8 approaches the location of the travel to the said sheet. As the pockets P continue their travel past belt 23, the rear end of each sheet is carried past the receiving end of said belt, so that said rear end is left depending from said receiving end of belt 23, during part of the time that the delivered sheet is traveling with said belt. Before each delivered sheet S has been moved to a position entirely upon the belt "23, the next succeeding sheet is delivered to said .belt and caught by the overlapper in the manner already described, so that the last delivered sheet is held in superposed position upon but with its rear end back of the rear end of the previous sheet. Therefore} each I succeeding sheet is laid upon the top of the immediately preceding sheet but in overlapped relation, and so held by the overlapper 26, as to practically prevent rubbing or sliding of the sheets upon each other, thereby avoiding generation of static electricity. The foregoing describes the movements imparted to each successive sheet presented by belt [9. I

Themodification illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 differs from the otherform in the substitution of a rigid cam-like feed-actuator and a rigid cam-like take-off actuator for the belts 2| and 24. Inasmuch as they are identical in v ts structure, it is" considered 'sufiicient to describe the sheet drier has one of them, and the take-off device has been selected for purposes of illustration.

Referring to Figures 5 and 6, a rigid curved track 30 is supported by a bracket 3i fixedlysecured to the frame F. The functions and operation are identically the same as those already set forth in connection with the previously described structure;

The advantages of the invention will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art to which it belongs. For instance, it will be readily observed that a very simple and effective drumtype drier is provided, by means of which each sheet of material to be dried may be individually fed to the drum, and so supported as to have both surfaces thereof effectively exposed to the drying temperature. Another important advantage is that the feeding and other handling of ill the sheets is accomplished in such manner as to prevent rubbing of the sheets upon each other or upon other surfaces, so-that development of static electricity is 'practically prevented. In other words, the overlapper in conjunction with many advantages. sheets are laid on top of each other. not slid over the top. In this way there is no static created. Also,by lapping the sheets they are slowed down on the overlapper to about one-fourth A) of the speed of the sheet when entering the drier. to this much reduced speed, there will be less trouble at the delivery end.

By slowing the sheetsdown ill) The They are It is to be understood that although the use of invention has been specifically described with respect to the drying of paper sheets, it is not? limited thereto, but is equally applicable to the drying of any other sheet material.

Having thus explained the nature of the invention and described an operative manner of constructing and usingthe same, although with-" out attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made, or allof the forms of its use, what isclaimed is: f

1. A sheet-feeding device of the characterdescribed comprising a rotatable drum having a.

plurality of radially disposed sheet supporting devices, means for loosely positioning individual sheets of material upon successively presented sheet supporting devices during rotative travel. of the drum, and meansfor periodically actuat-- ing said sheet supporting devices in such manner as to eject each sheet from the drum by a posttive radial movement away from the center of the -drum.

2. A sheet-feeding device of the character demeans for periodically actuating said sheet supporting devices in such manner as to eject each sheet fromthe drum by a positive radial movement away from the center of the drum.

3. A sheet-feeding device of the character de-' scribed comprising a rotatable drum, radially disposed movably mounted endless sheet supports mounted in said drum, feed means for loosely depositing individual sheets of material upon success'ively presented sheet supports, periodically operated'means for actuating said sheet supports as theyxmove past said'feed means was to positively move each sheet inwardly toward the ,center of the drum, and periocbically operated means for effecting removal of each sheet from the drum at a position opposite the feed means successively presented sheet supports, periodical- 1y operated means for actuating said sheet supports as they move past said feed means so as to positively move each sheet inwardly toward the center of the drum, and periodically operated means for again actuating said sheet supports in such manner as to successively withdraw the sheets from the drum by a positive outward movement.

5. A sheet-feeding device of the character dc posit them upon successively presented sheet supports, means for imparting periodical rotation to one rotatable member of each sheet support as it passes the location of said feed means, so as to positively move each sheet into the drum during rotative movement of the latter, and means for again imparting rotation to said rotatable member in such manner as to successively withdraw thesheet from the drum by a positive outward movement.

6. A sheet-feeding device of the character described comprising a rotatable drum, having a plurality of sheet carriers consisting of a pair of rotatable members and radially disposed endless sheet supports carried thereby, feed means for projecting individual sheets of material into said drum in such manner as to deposit them upon successively presented sheet supports, a roller carriedby one rotatable member of each feed device, a stationary feed actuator positioned adjacent to said feed means and in the path of movement of and engageable with said rollers, so as to impart rotation to said rotatable member While passing the location of said feed means in such manner as to positively move each sheet into said drum, and means for again imparting rotation to said rotatable member in such manner as to successively Withdraw the sheet from the drum by a positive outward movement.

7. A sheet-feeding device of the character described comprising a rotatable drum, having a plurality of sheet carriers consisting of a pair of rotatable members and radially disposed endless sheet supports carried thereby, feed means for projecting individual sheets of material into said drum in such manner as to deposit them upon successively presented sheet supports, a roller carried by one rotatable member of each feed device, a stationary feed actuator positioned adjacent to said feed means and in the path of movement of and engageable with said rollers,

so as to impart rotation to said rotatable member while passing the location of said feed means in such manner as to positively move each sheet into said drum, and a stationary take-off actuator also located in the path of and engageable with said rollers in such manner as to cause the successive sheet supports to positively eject the sheets fromsaid drum.

8; A sheet-feeding device of the character described comprising a' rotatable drum, having a plurality of sheet carriers consisting of a pair of rotatable members and radially disposed endless sheet supports carried thereby, feed means for projecting individual sheets of material into said drum in such manner as to deposit them upon successively presented sheet supports, a roller carried by one rotatable member of each feed device, a movable flexible endless belt member positioned adjacent to said feed means and in the path of movement of said rollers, so as to impart travelling movements to the sheet supports as they successively pass said feeding means,

so as to positively move each sheet into the drum, a similar movable flexible belt member also located in the path of and engageable with said rollers, in such manner as to cause the successive sheet supports to positively eject the sheets from said drum, and means for actuating said flexible belts.

9. A sheet-feeding device of the character described comp-rising a rotatable drum, having a plurality of sheet carriers consisting of a pair of rotatable members and radially disposed endless sheet supports carried thereby, feed means for projecting individual sheets of material into said drum in such manner as to deposit themupon successively presented sheet supports, a roller carried by one rotatable member of each feed device, a rigid cam-like member fixedly supported at a position adjacent to said feed means and in the path of movement of said rollers, so as to impart travelling movements to the sheet supports as they successively pass said feeding means, so as to positively move each sheet into the drum, and a similar rigid cam-like member alsolocated in the path of and engageable with said rollers, in such manner as to cause the successive sheet supports to positively eject the sheets from said drum.

10. A sheet-feeding device of the character described comprising a rotatable drum having a plurality of radially disposed sheet supporting devices, means for periodically loosely depositing individual sheets of material upon succesdevices, a feed device for loosely depositing in- 3 dividual sheets of material upon successively presented sheet supporting devices, a sheet receiving member operable at a slower speed than the feed device, means forperiodically actuating the sheet supporting devices in such manner as to eject each sheet from the drum onto the sheet receiving member by a positive radial movement away from the center of the drum, and means for preventing relative slidable movement of the ejected sheets while upon said sheet receiving member.

12. A sheet-feeding device of the character described comprising a, rotatable drum having a plurality of radially disposed sheet supporting devices, a feed belt adapted to loosely deposit individual sheets of material upon successively presented sheet supporting devices, a. traveling sheet receiving device moving ata. slower speed than themovement of the feeding device, means 'for periodically actuating saidsheet supporting devices in a manner to eject the respective sheets from the drum onto said sheet receiving device in superposed relation and by a positive radial movement away from the center of the drum and. in such manner that the rear end of each sheet will depend from the sheet receiving device, and means for preventing relative slidable movement of the superposed sheets.

- ROBERT J. THOMPSON. 

